Image:
Neck ornament, Fiji (E032850)

Neck ornament, Fiji
Acquired 11 November 1929

Sperm whale tooth gorget, bound together with coconut fibre and over-wrapped with patterned barkcloth (masi kesa in Fijian). The barkcloth pattern is known in Fijian as saresare ni bici – breast of the Banded Rail – as it is said to resemble the breast feathers of the male bird.